You don’t make friends with salad

So, it seems mum and dad were kinda onto something when they nagged us to eat our fruit and vegetables. According to Time, a new study fresh out of London shows that eating more of the good stuff can lead to living longer.

“Seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day can lower your risk of dying by an astonishing 42%, according to a new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. The more fruits and vegetables the participants ate, the less likely they were to die at any age, and the protective benefit increased with consumption. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends anywhere between one to two cups of fruit daily and one to three cups of vegetables daily, depending on age and gender. Their slogan follows, “Fruit and veggies — more matters.” Australia advises eating two portions of fruit and five of vegetables, and in the U.K., the slogan is: “5 a day.”

UOWTV Multimedia Reporters Lucy Dean, Joe Smith and Kelsey Sutor got out-and-about to see how the study has been received, what fruit and fruit veges we should be eating and what the academics have had to say about the research.

The Super Fruits you need to eat!

The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health study says that we should be eating upwards of seven portions of fruit each day in order to live longer. UOW Multimedia Reporter Joe Smith gives us the key to living longer embodied in a list of the ten super fruits you need to eat along with his friend – and fruit enthusiast – Mitchell.

Apples. These little buggers are chock full of fibre and low in calories. They are also full of flavonoids – an antioxidant that has been known to lower the chances of disease such as diabetes and asthma. They’re also great to use as a natural mouth freshener so you can maintain that aromatic breath.

Bananas. Monkeys love them for a many reasons and not just the taste. Bananas are full of potassium and folate, and a great source of vitamin B6. With the high levels of potassium found in bananas, it can help lower a person’s blood pressure, which is a great natural way to get rid of that red complexion.

Blueberries. These little guys are low in calories and rich in antioxidants. They adopt the dark blue colour due to the antioxidant known as anthocyanin, which can lower chances of stroke and cancer.

Avocados. The most debated fruit in existence. I for one am a fan of the mushy goodness that is the avocado. Aside from their delicious yet subtle flavour, avocados are a great source of vitamin E and folate, and are often used as spreads in substitute of butter or margarine due to their healthy monounsaturated fats that can lower cholesterol.

Grapefruit. Often mistaken as huge oranges – at least by me – grapefruit is a major player in the super-fruit business.

Grapes. Aside from tasting amazing and being hugely popular across the globe, grapes – particularly the grape seeds – have been know to slow Alzheimer’s disease.

Lemons. Don’t mind the tang. Lemons – and many other citrus fruits – are packed with vitamin C, and will assist in sun damage, regulate oil glands and even prevent age spots.

Plums. These exceptionally tasty little guys are full of chlorogenic acid, which has been linked to the decrease of anxiety-related behaviours. They also breakdown stains and discolours in your teeth due to their malic acids.

Strawberries. Possibly the tastiest fruit on the planet, and a plus that it is super healthy for you too. Strawberries are also rich in vitamin C, and just one punnet of strawbs will give you your entire daily intake of this crucial vitamin

Kiwi Fruit. Kiwi fruits have been linked to decreasing irritable bowel syndrome as well as being rich in pre-biotic complex carbohydrates, which are great for your skin.

So stock up in the fruit and vegetables aisle next time you’re at the shops- it might just add five years onto your life!

Furthermore, the study says that eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day can decrease the risk of death by 47%. But are these claims accurate? UOWTV Multimedia Reporter Kelsey Sutor spoke to Dr Bridget Kelly and Professor Linda Tapsell about the implications of the study and the veracity of the findings.